


Let's See How Far We've Come

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Eventual Loki/Tony Stark, Eventual Romance, Infinity Gems, Jötunn Loki, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Redemption, M/M, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant, Past Abuse, Post-Iron Man 3, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Teambuilding, Tony Being Tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-09 22:54:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3267410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Thanos and The Other hot on his heels, Loki, who has been made mortal as punishment, turns to Tony Stark for help. Little does he know that when Thanos threatens the Earth, the Avengers will need his help.</p><p>This takes place after the events of Iron Man 3, but does not comply with Thor: The Dark World.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Am I More Than You Bargained For Yet?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony decides to help Loki hide from Thanos and The Other, but he quickly realizes he may have gotten more than he bargained for.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, I told you not to wake me up in the middle of the night yet again," Tony groaned.

"I do apologize, sir, but it is rather urgent," the AI said. "Someone has managed to hack into your laptop, something I never thought would be possible with all the security measures you have installed."

Tony jumped out of bed despite his grogginess and got his laptop out. When he opened it, he saw that a strange window on the screen. The message inside said simply, "Hello" in large green lettering. Tony sighed and tried to close the window, but it was impossible. "Alright, whoever you are, this isn't funny."

_I didn't mean for it to be funny. I have something to ask of you._

"Wait, you can hear me?"

_It was rather simple to gain access to your microphone and webcam. I can see you as well. Like I said, I have something to ask of you. Please hear me out._

Tony nodded, though he was feeling a sense of fear in his stomach. He didn't enjoy being watched.

_There's someone coming after me and his right-hand man promised me that he would find me very easily. I hoped that with your ingenuity, you could possibly help hide me._

"I can't help you if I don't know who you are," Tony replied, wondering why he was even considering helping someone who hacked into his computer. "Who are you?"

_Guess._

"Don't be like that," Tony said curtly. "Why are you coming to me anyway? Can't anyone else help you out?"

_No, because many people hate me and wouldn't want to help me. And you were easy to find. Anyway, you should be able to guess who I am by the color of the text I am using._

"Anyone could like the color green. Stop being so cryptic."

_Maybe you aren't such a genius after all. I threw you out a window._

"You've got to be kidding me!" Tony yelled. "Aren't you supposed to be rotting in a cell on Asgard? Why do you need my help anyway? You don't even deserve my help! Get out of my computer!"

_You're funny when you're angry with how short you are. I need your help because the being who is threatening me is close to having all of the infinity gems in the infinity gauntlet. The infinity gems, when placed in the gauntlet, give one unlimited power over 6 important things that keep the universe together. With all that power, he may be able to destroy your world. If you help me, I will help you in return._

"Fine," Tony grit out. "Only because the Earth will probably be in trouble if whoever you're talking about gets a hold of that much power. Why are you on Earth?"

_As punishment, my adoptive father made me mortal and banished me here. He did the same thing for Thor when he disturbed the peace between Asgard and Jotunheim. However, he withdrew Thor's punishment rather quickly. I doubt that he will do the same for me. He wants me to learn humility and grow to respect mortals. I will not be able to hurt you very much if I ever want to because I no longer have access to my magic and the rest of my powers. Basically, I am no more powerful than a regular human being._

Tony thought over that for a moment and then said, "Okay. Well, that makes me feel a bit better. The rest of the Avengers are on their own missions, so you can come over. Wait, am I going to be housing you?"

_Yes. I am sure that your home is large enough to accommodate me yet keep me a good distance from you. Anyway, I shall arrive soon._

"Of course I don't have any choice in the matter," Tony grumbled to himself. In less than five minutes, J.A.R.V.I.S. announced, "Sir, I believe there is an intruder on the premises. Would you like me to run the protocol for this type of situation?"

"Let him in."

"Very strange of you to say that, sir. Nevertheless, I will allow him inside."

When Loki came in, Tony was shocked by how different he looked from the last time he had seen him. The Asgardian's hair was noticeably longer, falling a bit lower than his collarbones. He was sweaty and even paler than usual, so pale that he looked as if he were anemic. He was even thinner than he normally was, and instead of the intimidating leather and metal he usually wore, Loki was dressed in a dark green T-shirt and black jeans. Tony wondered for a second if he wore any colors besides green and black. Surprising himself, Tony caught Loki when he nearly fell to the ground. "Are you okay? I mean, I don't care if you're not, but I'm sure that I'll get a hammer blow to the head if I let you get injured or die."

"I'm fine," Loki said. Opposite to his words, he nearly fell down again and started shaking. His face had gone even paler than it had been when he came in, and his eyes seemed unfocused, as if he was about to faint.

"You're clearly not fine," Tony replied, lying Loki down on a conveniently nearby couch - he and Loki were in the Avengers' common room. "Is this happening because you don't have your magic anymore?"

"I believe so," Loki coughed. "C-could you get me a glass of water please?"

Tony quickly filled a cup up with water and brought it over to Loki. His guest took a few sips but started retching and threw up on the couch. It was mostly bile and water, but the sight still made Tony nauseous.

"Damn it, Loki!" Tony shouted. "You know, you could've run to the trashcan or something. Looks like I have to clean vomit up. What a great start to my day."

"I'm sorry," Loki apologized. "I can't control my body's reactions to not having magic. I'll clean it up myself."

"No, I don't want you getting up until you feel more stable on your feet. You look really skinny. When's the last time you had something to eat?"

"I don't remember. It's been a while since I've eaten. I've been living on the streets - well, I had a place to stay, but I had to leave because of... you know what, never mind. It's not important. Anyway, I stole what I'm wearing right now, and I found a tablet with a cracked screen in a dumpster. It still worked just fine, but as for food, I haven't had anything for a while. I'm so hungry... I don't really deserve food, though."

Tony stopped cleaning up the vomit for a second and looked at Loki. Why was he saying such a thing? The last time Tony saw Loki, he was arrogant and proud. Now, he was saying he didn't deserve to eat. He wondered what made him feel like that. He got him a bowl of cereal with milk, and to Tony's dismay, Loki started crying.

"Why are you crying?" Tony asked, slightly concerned that what he was getting into would be bad. If Loki was unstable like his sudden weeping made him seem, he would have trouble on his hands. "Did I do something that upset you?"

"No, no, you didn't do anything," Loki said, starting to eat the cereal slowly. "I'm crying because I'm happy. Like I said, I haven't had food in a while. Thank you."

Tony nodded, feeling a little uncomfortable. He couldn't take crying, especially from someone who had previously been so grandiose and self-assured. "Is there a certain reason you haven't had food?"

"You don't need to know," Loki replied cryptically, his eyes suddenly dark. "I'd get in trouble if I told you why."

"I guess I'll just leave you alone," Tony said, but to his surprise, Loki grabbed his arm.

"Please don't go. I don't want to be all by myself. I'd... I'd feel safer if you stayed here with me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be saying this. You have more important things to do."

"Why are you acting so weird?" Tony asked. "You're acting nothing like the Loki I know. Are you putting on a front to make me feel sympathy for you so you can stab me in the back later?"

"No, I'm not!" Loki promised.

"Did someone... did someone hurt you?" Tony questioned hesitantly. "Someone else besides who's coming after you?"

Loki nodded, more tears filling his eyes, but Tony could tell they were now from pain, not happiness. Despite how he disliked him, Tony stayed with Loki. It was awkward, but eventually Loki stopped crying and fell asleep on the couch from exhaustion.

Tony went to his room and tried to fall asleep, but his unsaid questions kept him up. He usually couldn't sleep due to his PTSD, but this time, the insomnia was different. He wondered about who was coming after Loki, why his guest was acting so strangely, and why he had even agreed to help him in the first place. Hours flew by like fallen autumn leaves in a strong wind, and soon it was 6 AM. Tony groaned rather dramatically when he saw the time on his bedside digital clock. It was quiet, so he figured that Loki was still sleeping on the couch.

In spite of how he usually had good ideas, Tony had no idea how he was going to help Loki. The looming threat of some unknown powerful being who could potentially destroy the world made his heart beat faster with fear, but for some reason, the obvious changes in Loki's character were more concerning to him. He had no idea how to comfort anyone, especially an old enemy who he now had to house in his tower. Considering how much he probably knew about said being, Tony didn't doubt that Loki could provide some much-needed help if whoever was coming after him attacked the Earth, but he wondered if the Avengers would even let the Asgardian help in such a case.

Tony finally fell asleep at 7 AM, but his sleep was more restless than ever.


	2. Payment in Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony learns more about Thanos and what happened to Loki. Later, Loki turns out to be a huge help to him.

Tony was falling in space. Contrary to what actually happened in New York, the portal closed and Tony's held breath hitched. The darkness of the vacuum surrounded him and panic made his heart speed up. He was doomed, alone in space with no way out and no one to help him. Suddenly, he heard a rasping voice saying something he couldn't make out. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw what could only be described as an alien. It wasn't one of the Chitauri, though - instead, it was a pale creature with bloody teeth and six fingers on each hand. Tony shuddered at the sight of the alien, his breath hitching yet again when it spoke.

"You failed. You know what that means, don't you?" the gruesome creature said. "He'll come for you. I told him going after those wretched Avengers would be courting death, but he is set on finding you. You won't be alive for much longer, godling."

Breathing heavily, Tony woke up in a cold sweat. He swore he had never been so confused in his life. Why was he having a dream that seemed as if it was really Loki's nightmare? For some reason, they had likely shared a dream. Tony had no idea why that was the case - how could he be mentally connected to Loki? The thought made him cringe. If he was connected to Loki's mind, the Asgardian's issues and memories would seep into his mind and he might just go insane - or at least that's what he thought.

Tony was tired to no end, so as soon as he got into the special kitchen he had put in for the Avengers, he made himself a cup of coffee. He gulped it down as if he was doing a shot. After hearing footsteps coming towards the kitchen, Tony figured Loki woke up at the smell of the coffee.

"Good morning," Loki said. Though he still looked sickly and weak, he looked less tired than he did when Tony saw him. He sniffed the air and asked, "What's that smell?"

"Coffee. Want some?"

"I don't know what that is."

"Really? They don't have coffee on Asgard?" Tony said incredulously. "Well, it's a drink that makes you feel more alert. It tastes really bitter if you don't add anything to it, but it's nice to feel energized. You might crash later, though."

"I don't really want coffee," Loki replied. "I'd like the drink you owe me."

Tony rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh. "I can't believe you remembered that. Okay, you can have it."

He poured a glass of whiskey for Loki. Though the Asgardian wasn't drunk, the alcohol seemed to make Loki relax.

"Look, I need to know more about who's coming after you," Tony stated. "I think I now know one of the guys coming after you - I saw this weird alien in a dream I had. It was talking about you."

"You had my dream too?" Loki said, his eyes widening a bit. "That's strange. Well, the creature you saw is one of my pursuers. The other one is much more powerful. His name is Thanos. For a while, he has been on a mission to receive the love of Mistress Death. Such a mission consists of him destroying everything in existence to please her. If he succeeds in that mission, nothing will be left except for the two of them. This is why it is important that you keep me hidden from him, because if he finds me, he'll find you and your team as well. And when he finds your Avengers, he'll take you all down, leaving no one to protect the world from the chaos he'll unleash after he kills all of you."

Tony processed that for a moment. "Alright, so Death is actually a person and my team and I are screwed if this Thanos guy finds you. But how could he ever destroy everything? That would be a lot of things to destroy, and I mean _a lot._ He can't possibly expect for his plan to work."

"If he gets all of the Infinity Gems for the Infinity Gauntlet, his mission will be quite easy," Loki responded. "He'll be able to steal souls, control minds, alter reality, and much more. Once he activates the gauntlet, everything goes. If you help me in return, I will be willing to help you and your team if he stages an attack on your world. For the time being, though, I am no more powerful than any of you and thus I am currently useless."

"Though this is still pretty mind-bending for me, I appreciate the information," Tony said. "Well, now that I know more about your pursuers, do you think you could tell me about who hurt you?"

Loki's eyes widened and he said, "I already told you I'll get in trouble. Besides, I shouldn't get him in trouble, because despite what he did to me, he gave me a place to stay."

"You want to protect him?" Tony asked. "Sounds very Stockholm Syndrome like to me. You're not going to get in trouble, I promise. And if you do get in trouble and he comes after you, I'm sure that Thor will give him a nice big whack on the head with his hammer. Please, if it's not going to upset you, I'd like to hear about it."

Loki sighed and said, "I guess abuse is the word for what he did to me, as much as I hate to admit it. At first, he was really nice and protective, but his true colors started showing after some time. He would find reasons to yell at me and threaten me. Then he would say he was sorry and be nice to me to make me forgive him, but then it would start all over again. It was a vicious cycle. He sometimes threw things at me and hit me if I ever did something that made him angry. He would throw insults and slurs at me whenever he was angry. And sometimes he would..."

As he cut off his sentence, Loki's eyes filled with tears.

"What? What would he do?" Tony asked. "I already told you that you're not going to get in trouble."

"He would... use my body for his pleasure without my consent."

Tony blanched and started sputtering. "Oh my god. That's sick. I-I'm sorry that happened to you. No one deserves that, no matter what they've done. How many times did it happen?"

"I lost count," Loki said, shaking a bit with the effort that it took him not to cry. "Well, it happened so many times because it wasn't just violation. He would touch me inappropriately as well. I would try to get away but it was no use. He said he wouldn't give me any food if I didn't let him do it. So one day, I got so sick of it that I punched him in the face hard enough to break his nose and ran out of that place. Being on the streets wasn't very enjoyable, but it was better than being abused."

"Do you need a hug?" Tony asked tentatively. "I mean, I really dislike the idea of hugging you, but it looks like you need one."

Loki nodded and despite how uncomfortable it was for him to do so, Tony hugged him tight and let the Asgardian cry on his shoulder. After he had calmed down, Tony made him pancakes, which he devoured without throwing up later. When Loki looked relaxed, Tony came up to him and asked, "Loki, would you like something to do?"

Loki nodded and Tony handed him his computer, praying to no one that he didn't break it. "Look, I think your hacking skills could help take down some bad websites. Ten Rings websites and websites that distribute illegal things, more specifically. Are you up to it?"

"If it keeps me from going insane with boredom, yes," Loki replied. He started doing his work as Tony watched him with fascination. He had never guessed that Loki would be so good at such a thing, but he figured that technology was advanced enough in Asgard that handling a Midgardian computer was easy for him. After a while, Loki grew annoyed of being watched and shoved Tony away.

Eventually, Loki announced, "I have taken down about a hundred websites distributing child pornography, as well as some Ten Rings-controlled websites. I do not know who the Ten Rings are, but the strength of their security is pitiful."

Tony smiled wide and pat Loki on the back. "Great job. Since you're great with technology, do you think you could help me design some new things for my suit?"

"Why should I help you improve something that is already more than good enough?" Loki said with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, thank you," Tony said, a little surprised. He never expected Loki to compliment him. "I just suggested it because it would give you something to do."

"I'm not doing it."

"I'll pay you in chocolate."

Loki's eyes widened as he repeated, "Chocolate? Well, okay."

Tony started laughing rather hard and laughed even harder when Loki glared at him. "Sorry. That was just funny. I'll stop now."

Because of his boredom, Loki spent the afternoon taking down more bad websites. By 5 PM, he had taken down more websites than he thought possible. He decided to relax in the guest bedroom Tony had granted him, but an announcement from J.A.R.V.I.S. interrupted his relaxation.

"Mr. Laufeyson, there is an intruder on the premises who seems to be looking for you," the AI said.

Loki almost screamed.


	3. How Anticlimactic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The intruder turns out to be harmless and Tony has to explain why he is housing a Norse god who threw him out a window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo, two chapters posted in the same day! However, I plan to update this story every Sunday unless I am too busy. If that is ever the situation, I will post it as soon as I can.

Upon hearing J.A.R.V.I.S's announcement, Tony panicked and quickly dashed out of his bedroom, where he was watching TV before his AI notified Loki of an intruder. He heard footsteps coming towards the common room and sighed heavier than he ever had in his life when he saw who it was. Natasha Romanoff was standing in front of him, smirking a bit like she was trying not to laugh.

"Damn it, Nat!" Tony exclaimed. "You scared the hell out of me. Why are you here?"

"Thor told me to check on his brother, and after some searching, I found out he was here," Natasha replied smoothly. "Tell me, why are you housing a guy who threw you out of your own window?"

"It's complicated," Tony sighed. "He said he'd help me in whatever way I wanted if I helped him hide from two creepy aliens."

"And who are those creepy aliens? Should I be concerned about that?"

"Yes, yes you should. Because it turns out that one of them is incredibly powerful and is bent on destroying Earth once he has everything he needs to do it."

Natasha paused for a moment to process that. She eventually said, "Well, that's not the craziest thing I've heard. Who is this guy and why does he want to destroy the world?"

"You know what, I'll have Loki explain it all to you," Tony replied. "Just don't do anything that might startle him. He's a bit jumpy right now. Reindeer Games, come down here!"

A bit tentatively, Loki went down into the common room where Natasha and Tony were. Natasha's breath hitched when she saw the state Loki was in. She wanted to say so many things but decided on just saying, "Do you Asgardians ever get your hair cut?"

"I didn't expect to see you," Loki said quietly. "Why are you here? Did Thor send you?"

Natasha nodded and said, "He wanted to know how you were."

Loki gave a bitter laugh and said, "That's funny. What's the real reason why he sent you?"

"That is the real reason."

Loki went silent. After collecting himself he said, "I'm fine."

"You don't look like you're fine. You look like hell. Like you've been starved or something. What happened to you?"

"Natasha, don't," Tony warned. "He's kind of unstable right now. I mean, more unstable than he usually is. Loki, explain the situation with Thanos to her."

Natasha listened carefully to everything Loki told her about the Mad Titan, nodding and holding her questions until he was finished. "Could you tell me more about these Infinity Gems? I still don't know much about them."

"There are six Infinity Gems - Power, Space, Soul, Reality, Time, and Mind," Loki said. "Power gives the wearer of the Infinity Gauntlet increased strength and stamina, as well as the ability to manipulate energy. Time gives one the ability to time travel, speed up, slow, or stop time. It also allows the user to speed up or slow aging, as well as see into the future. Space allows one to travel through space. With the Soul gem, one can attack or steal souls. The Reality gem does what its name implies - altering reality. Lastly, the Mind gem gives one psychic abilities and the ability to control the minds of other people. The scepter I used to mind-control your partner contains the Mind gem."

Natasha was silent for a few moments as she took in everything Loki had just told her. "So this guy - well, this Titan - is close to having unlimited power over six important aspects of life as we know it. Great. Well, I hope you're not lying to me, considering you're supposed to be the god of lies."

"Why would I lie to someone who can easily detect lies?" Loki said. "That would be pointless. Besides, it would be hard to lie about something so complicated. I heard from Thor that Odin made you mortal until you can redeem yourself. How do you plan to do that?"

Loki was about to say something but Tony cut him off with, "He's kind of already working on that a little at a time. It turns out that he's really good with technology. In fact, he hacked my computer to tell me about what was going on and why he needed a place to hide. I decided to give him something to do because of how bored he was - take down Ten Rings websites and websites distributing illegal stuff. He took down hundreds of bad websites, including websites sharing child pornography. He actually seemed to enjoy doing so, so maybe even though he's a war criminal, he's not all bad."

"You're trusting him a bit too easily, Tony," Natasha remarked. "How do you know he's not going to betray you? He knows how to manipulate people."

"I would be rather stupid if I were planning on betraying him," Loki scoffed. "If I did so, he'd have his team come after me and put my head on a silver platter. Therefore, Agent Romanoff, your assumptions are incorrect."

Natasha raised her hands and said, "Sorry. I'm just trying to keep an eye out for Tony. I'll be leaving now - I just had to see how you were doing."

The assassin left the tower, and Tony said to Loki, "I don't think you're lying. You'd have to put a lot of work into lying about something so complicated. You know, you really need to take a shower. Your hair is more matted than a Persian cat's fur. Oh, I totally forgot - I need to get some chocolate for you. What kind would you like? I don't know the varieties they have on Asgard, but here on Earth, there are a few types and most of them are really good. There's dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate, which technically isn't chocolate, but whatever. Some chocolates have fillings like raspberry, cherry, or caramel, and some contain bits of fruit like cherries or nuts like almonds."

Loki's eyes widened at all the options and he took a few moments to think over everything Tony had said. "I'd like some dark chocolate please, and also some chocolate with cherries - well, if that's not too much to ask."

"It's not too much to ask at all," Tony assured. "I've got plenty of cash. Well, I'll order what you want now."

Tony placed an order of the chocolate Loki wanted and then sat down on the common room's couch. To his relief, there wasn't even a hint of the stench of vomit left on it. "Lokes, do you wanna watch a movie?"

"Could you please stop with the nicknames?" Loki said with a roll of his eyes. "And what exactly is a movie?"

"You don't have movies on Asgard? I guess you guys prefer live entertainment. Well, movies are basically long videos with a story to them. There are tons of different genres, like drama, documentaries, comedy, action, et cetera. I think you'd like action movies."

"Probably," Loki replied. Tony put on _Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,_ a bit amused by how engrossed Loki was in the story. In the middle of it, he made popcorn and gave the bowl to Loki. "It's a bit late for this, but I made some popcorn. It's nice and buttery."

"I've never seen this food," Loki said, trying a bit of it. "I like it."

Loki devoured the popcorn, leaving almost none for Tony, but Tony didn't mind. He knew Loki needed any food he could get and he didn't want Loki to get even more skeletal than he already was. When the movie was over, Loki fell asleep on Tony. Tony cringed and shoved Loki off of him, though he secretly found the sight a bit endearing. He would never admit that, though, not even to himself.

The chocolate came rather late, so with Loki asleep, Tony decided to wrap it up in gift paper and surprise Loki with the box the next day. He even chose shiny green wrapping paper, a black ribbon, and gold bow. He smiled at his work, though he wondered why he was being so nice to the man who nearly destroyed New York. Maybe it was how helpful Loki was being.

Despite how happy Tony felt, he had a nightmare as soon as he fell asleep.


	4. Showing His True Colors - Literally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony wants to know more about Loki and does some research. Upon finding out Loki has frost giant blood, he can't help his curiosity.

"Loki, did you have a bad dream last night?" Tony asked. There were dark circles and deep bags under his eyes from not getting a good night's sleep. Then again, he never really slept too well anymore, even with the ongoing treatment for his PTSD.

Loki nodded and said, "I dreamed about the Other."

"The Other? Is that the creepy six-fingered alien dude?"

"Yes. He's Thanos' assistant. He warned me that if I failed my mission in taking over the world, Thanos would find me and make me long for something as sweet as pain. So I'm sure that when Thanos comes, he'll do just that."

Tony couldn't think of anything to say, so he just nodded. "Hey, I have a gift for you."

Loki's eyes widened quite a bit. Tony smiled and handed him the box he had specially wrapped just for him.

"You even decorated it with my colors," Loki observed with a grin. He unwrapped his gift and grinned even wider when he saw the fancy chocolates inside. Tony had gotten him dark chocolate bon-bons, along with two bars of chocolate with cherries. "Thank you, Tony!"

To Tony's surprise and slight discomfort, Loki hugged him. He laughed nervously and gently moved Loki away from him. "Sorry. I'm not a hugger. But I'm glad you like it. Just don't eat it all at once; I don't want to clean up any more vomit."

Still smiling, Loki nodded and tried one of the chocolates. As he was savoring the rich, slightly bitter taste of the dark chocolate, Tony asked him, "Would you be okay with it if I did some research on you?"

"As long as you don't plan to sit on my back while you read my file, I don't mind," Loki replied.

It took Tony a few seconds to get Loki's joke, but when he did, he shook his head with a smile and went off to do his research, not literally on Loki.

S.H.I.E.L.D's file on Loki was quite brief, to Tony's discontent. He decided to look into Norse mythology, but as soon as he reached the myth about Sleipnir, he decided to be done with Wikipedia for the day. Instead, he kept going through Google until he found an interesting fact - Loki was a member of the Jotnar, a race previously thought to be just from myths. They were also known as frost giants. There weren't many actual photos of them, just illustrations, and the drawings Tony found portrayed them as vicious savages with sharp teeth dripping blood onto their necks. Tony shuddered and hoped that the drawings were just exaggerations.

Eventually, Tony decided that he would get the best knowledge about Loki from the man himself. He went to Loki, who was lying down on the couch while he stared off into space. "Loki, is it true that you're one of the frost giants?"

Loki's expression darkened and he glared at Tony. "Why would you need to know?"

"I'm just curious," Tony said. "So are you?"

"Yes," Loki hissed, baring his teeth in an animalistic expression of rage. "Now leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"You're not sorry!" Loki snapped. "Why are you so interested in a race of monsters?"

"I-I just wanted to see what they look like," Tony stammered. It wasn't very often that he got truly scared, but he knew Loki was even more dangerous than usual when he was angry. "I don't think the illustrations of them are very accurate, because it's likely that they're portrayed as monsters just to scare Asgardian children."

"They are monsters," Loki said. "I'm a monster. Do you really want to see that?"

"Yes."

"You know, you're rather stupid for someone supposed to be a genius," Loki scoffed. He took a moment to calm down before he shifted to his Jotun form. His pale skin turned a deep blue and his green eyes turned to a blood red, even in the sclera.

Tony never really knew what it felt like for something to take his breath away, but he knew the feeling when he saw Loki's frost giant form. Loki's skin was the most beautiful shade of blue he had ever seen, and intriguing markings marked it. The red of his eyes reminded Tony not of fire, but of blood falling on snow. He couldn't speak for several moments but when he did, he said, "Oh my god. You're... you're beautiful."

Loki's eyes widened in surprise. "You think I'm beautiful? You must be saying that sarcastically."

"No, no I'm not," Tony said. "You're absolutely breathtaking. You're not a monster, Loki. You're gorgeous."

Loki's silver tongue turned to a heavy lead weight in his mouth. He didn't know how to respond to Tony's awe and compliments. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest with how fast it was beating. "T-thank you, but how can you find me beautiful? No one has ever found this form of mine beautiful before. Y-you're... you're the first one to think that way."

Ever so gently, Loki brushed his hand against Tony's brow and up to his hair. Tony shivered at the cold of his skin. Loki's skin was normally cold, but in this form, it felt absolutely freezing against Tony's warm, human skin. Happy tears formed a shiny film over Loki's red eyes as he said, "Thank you. Thank you so much. I-I don't even know what to say."

Neither one of them knew what to do or say. Loki shifted back to his regular form and went to his room. His heart was still beating fast, and he swore it was beating faster than it ever had. He just stared at the ceiling, trying to process everything that had just happened. Tony had not been scared of his Jotun form - in fact, he thought it was beautiful. Loki thought about that over and over, feeling a warm, fuzzy feeling take over his body. He felt like the next time he saw Tony would be terribly awkward. For all of his charisma and famous silver tongue, Loki had no idea what to do or say when he saw Tony again.

Loki lay down on his bed and tried to take a nap, but he found the idea of slipping into a dream foolish. It would likely be a bad one, and Tony would probably share it. After how good Tony had made him feel, Loki didn't want to hurt the mechanic, even inadvertently. The warmth of Tony's skin had felt electric, as if he was touching a hot wire. He replayed what had happened over and over in his head, smiling to himself. He still thought of himself as a monster, but somehow, Tony had taken almost all of those thoughts away.

Though he knew it would be awkward, Loki came out of his room and sat down with Tony for breakfast. The two ate in silence before Tony said casually, "Other than the bad dream, did you sleep okay? You look tired."

Despite how happy he felt, Loki didn't look very healthy. His gauntness made the sharpness of his cheekbones severe, and his skin was white as a sheet. Shadows framed his eyes from how sunken in they were, and his thin lips were almost as pale as the rest of his face. He had taken a shower, so his hair wasn't as disheveled as it had been when he arrived at Stark Tower, but he still looked like a drug addict going through severe withdrawal symptoms. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Tony doubted that Loki was fine, but he decided not to say anything. Though the Asgardian wasn't as unpredictable as he had been during New York, he was still prone to sudden changes in mood. Sometimes, he went from content to angry in an instant, usually when Tony was talking. Then again, Tony had a reputation for sounding like a jerk even when he wasn't trying to be one, so he figured it wasn't anything personal.

"We need a plan for if one of the other Avengers comes to visit," Tony stated. "If any one of them hurts you as revenge for what you did in the attack on New York, Thor will kill me. Natasha seems to be okay with you, but if Clint visits and he finds you, you're screwed. Have you found any good hiding spots?"

"In the oven," Loki said.

"What? Loki, you'd kill yourself doing that."

"I meant when it was turned off."

"No way, not with how long your legs are," Tony said, laughing a little when Loki glanced down at his legs a bit self-consciously. "A closet would be predictable. Maybe in a locked bathroom? No one would ever try to get into a locked bathroom because no one likes to be intruded on in the bathroom."

"That's actually a good idea," Loki replied. "Locked bathroom it is. Look, I feel kind of awkward around you now. I just can't stop thinking about how you called me beautiful and I just feel strange. Kind of nervous."

Tony didn't know how to respond, so he just said, "It's only awkward if you think it's awkward. What do you want for lunch? I know we just had breakfast, but I have to prepare for the time it takes for an order to arrive. You can have anything you like."

"I'd like pasta," Loki answered, his tongue again feeling like lead. Tony made the order and Loki rushed up to his room. He buried his face in his pillow and cursed his heart for beating so fast.


	5. I Fix Machines, Not People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki turns out to have more issues than Tony thought.

At lunch, Loki was happier than Tony had ever seen him. The sight slightly concerned Tony - Loki was normally dark and brooding. What had happened to make him so happy-go-lucky? To him, a happy Loki meant trouble. Still, it was better than having to deal with crying or Loki yelling at him, so he didn't say anything about it. Instead, he watched hockey while Loki finished eating. When he saw that Loki was done, he took him down to his lab.

"Don't break anything or you'll get a repulsor blast to the face," Tony warned rather seriously. "And don't do anything stupid. No drinking chemicals, no smelling chemicals, and no roughhousing with anything delicate. Got it?"

Loki nodded and got to work on creating a large structure to protect the giant arc reactor powering the tower. There was already a protective case around it, but it wasn't of the best quality or strength, so he figured he would improve it. Meanwhile, Tony was working on the controls in his suit. Loki was diligent, quietly working and not disturbing Tony or messing with any equipment. However, he started to cry and couldn't figure out why he was crying. Tony heard him and looked over at him with a sigh.

"You know I don't like crying," Tony said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You know, for the god of lies, you're a terrible liar."

"It really is nothing! Lately, sometimes I cry for no reason. It's strange. I don't even know what's causing it."

"Maybe it's knowing that those two, well, creatures are coming after you? I've been having more dreams about them. I think they're getting closer because of that-"

To Tony's dismay, Loki started to hyperventilate. His face was even paler than usual with fear and he was shaking uncontrollably. No matter how much Tony tried to get him to calm down, he just grew more and more hysterical.

"Sir, I believe Mr. Laufeyson is having a quite severe panic attack," J.A.R.V.I.S said, sounding concerned for an AI.

"No, no, I don't have those," Loki panted. "I'm not crazy."

"Mr. Laufeyson, panic attacks do not make one insane," J.A.R.V.I.S replied. "Though they may take place along with other disorders that do make one clinically insane, panic attacks on their own are simply signs of emotional distress. Inhale while counting to three, hold counting to three, and exhale counting to three. You can adjust the number you count to if you feel the need to do so."

Loki followed J.A.R.V.I.S's advice and calmed down for the most part, but he was still crying. Carefully, Tony walked over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders as gently as possible.

"Loki, you're going to be okay," Tony assured. "I get anxiety attacks too and they're not fun, but you have to get through them. There had to be something that triggered this. Can you please be honest with me? I know it's not in your character to be honest, but just try. I won't judge you."

"You saying that Thanos and the Other are getting closer triggered it," Loki said, glaring at Tony. "Perhaps if you wouldn't have said that, I wouldn't have had a... panic attack. You should really watch what you say. You constantly say things without thinking."

"I know I do," Tony sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. But why were you crying in the first place?"

"Because I feel like I deserve to die," Loki said. "After all I've done... I should be executed. And not humanely, but as painfully as possible. Or perhaps I should be tortured, maybe including the way that man hurt me-"

"No!" Tony shouted, causing Loki to flinch. "I'm sorry. But no. You didn't deserve that and you don't deserve it again. Please don't think that. No one deserves that, no matter how many crimes they've committed. I don't know why you think you deserve to be abused, but you don't. Abuse is something no one deserves, no matter who they are. Please don't think like that."

"But it's so hard not to," Loki protested. "How can you expect me to change my thinking just like that? You may see me as arrogant and overly self-assured, and sometimes I am those things, but deep down, I truly hate myself. I convince myself that I'm better than everyone else so I can hide feeling worthless. It's not just because of my heritage either. I hate myself for being black-haired and green-eyed instead of being blonde and blue-eyed like most Asgardians. I hate being pale when the rest of the Æsir have sun-kissed skin. And I hate myself for being a sorcerer."

"What's wrong with being a sorcerer? That sounds pretty cool to me."

"In Asgard, magic is usually a women's craft," Loki explained. "It is rare for men to practice magic, so other children loved to make fun of me when I was younger."

"Well, you're away from those kids now. And like I said, I think your magic is cool."

"Why are you trusting me so easily?" Loki asked. "I threw you out your own window, compromised your team member, attacked your city, and nearly strangled you to death. If you were as intelligent as people say you are, you wouldn't trust me. I'm dangerous. If you get me into a rage, I just might kill you."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's not. I actually enjoy your company, though I hate to admit it."

Tony smiled and said, "We don't have to be down here if you're upset. We can go back into the common room and watch some TV. Hey, I just remembered something - you like to read, right?"

"Yes. I love to read."

"Well, I was thinking of taking you to a bookstore," Tony said. "I could always order books online, but I think you'd like the feeling of being in a bookstore, specifically the one closest to Stark Tower. You get to flip through the books until you find one you're interested in reading, and you can smell the nice smell books have. You also can curl up on one of the chairs next to the fireplace where it's all cozy and warm. Does that sound nice?"

Loki nodded with a smile. "You really don't have to be so nice to me. I'm sure you have something better to do with your time. Besides, who would be nice to someone who almost killed them? You're being rather foolish by treating me like a friend."

"Maybe I just like to be nice to people sometimes," Tony said with a shrug. "Even if they are my former enemies. I'll take you to the bookstore tomorrow. For now, you can watch TV with me or in your room or take a nap, whatever you'd like to do. As long as it doesn't involve killing people."

Loki decided to go to his room and get some alone time. As much as he was admittedly liking Tony's company, the man loved to talk and it was easy for Loki to get annoyed with him for that. He watched the news for a bit before he decided to take a nap. As he lay down and tried to get to sleep, thoughts started racing through his head. What if Thanos got his hands on the rest of the infinity gems quicker than Loki expected? What if the Other found him and held him prisoner while Thanos stocked the Infinity Gauntlet?

All of these thoughts kept him up and he began to toss and turn. His heart was beating fast but not in the nice way it was beating last night, when Tony had called him beautiful. He decided to focus on that recent memory - how surprised he was to hear Tony's comments, how good it made him feel, and how pleasantly nervous he now felt around Tony. Still unsure of why he was nervous, he tried to find the answer. Doing so just kept him from falling asleep.

As much as he wanted to tell Tony everything he was thinking and feeling, he decided it was hopeless and fell asleep.


	6. Can We Keep Her?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki brings something, or rather someone, unexpected home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a filler chapter. However, it's a bit important to the plot because it shows that Loki's selfishness is going away and he just might be able to redeem himself.

Tony woke up to a weight on his chest. He looked down and saw that Loki had sprawled across his chest and fallen asleep. He sighed and nudged Loki, trying to wake him up. "Come on, Loki. Why are you sleeping on top of me anyway?"

"Because you're warm," Loki mumbled, half-asleep.

"Get off of me."

Loki groaned and rolled off of Tony, accidentally rolling off the bed. Tony laughed, causing Loki to glare at him. "That wasn't even very funny. Are we going to the bookstore today?"

"Yes, princess," Tony said in a tongue-in-cheek manner, but Loki just glared at him more fiercely. "Come on, you should know by now that I love giving nicknames to people. Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air?"

Truthfully, Tony just wanted some time alone to find out why he was sharing the Asgardian's dreams. No matter how hard he tried to figure it out, he couldn't understand why he would share dreams with someone. That would imply that somehow his mind was connected to Loki's, which was one of the worst things he could imagine. If Loki's brain really was as much of a bag of cats as Bruce thought it was, Tony didn't want any of those figurative cats crawling into his brain. It also did not make much sense to him how minds could even be connected.

Loki nodded, got up, and went outside. The air was crisp and clear with fallen leaves drifting through it. The trees were in beautiful hues of red, orange, and yellow, and the sky was the brightest azure blue Loki had ever seen. The pleasant sound of leaves rustling and birds chirping filled the air, making Loki smile. Though he spent most of his time indoors, he did love to be outside as long as the temperature wasn't too high.

After walking for a bit, he heard a strange wailing noise he couldn't identify. As he got closer to the noise, he realized it was the cries of a baby. However, when Loki came across it, it had no parents accompanying it. It was wearing only underwear and its only blanket was the autumn leaves that had fallen on it. The sound of its crying made Loki's chest ache. He had never been one much for children, but the sound of a baby crying made him feel bad. He carefully picked up the baby and to his surprise, its crying became quieter.

"What are you doing out here?" Loki asked, though he knew the baby wouldn't be able to answer him. "Can you say your name?"

The baby just looked at him with bright blue eyes. It tugged on his hair curiously, making him laugh.

"I guess you don't have parents, right?" Loki said. "Well, I do know someone with more than enough money to feed and clothe you..."

Loki smiled a mischievous grin. He was imagining Tony's reaction to him, a war criminal, carrying a cute baby. His smile made the baby smile and tug on his hair a bit more gently. "Yes, I am certainly taking you to him."

As he walked back to Stark Tower, Loki rocked the baby back and forth in his arms, making it smile and fall asleep. He wasn't sure why, but he found the sight endearing. He started petting its fuzzy light blonde hair.

When he got inside, he went to Tony, still wearing a mischievous smile.

"Hey, Loki, how was-" Tony said, but he cut off his sentence as soon as he saw the baby in Loki's arms. "Oh my god, you have got to be kidding me. You holding a baby and smiling? I must be seeing things."

"Isn't she adorable?" Loki cooed, patting the baby's head.

"This is very out of character for you," Tony sighed. "How did you find her?"

"She was abandoned, right at the edge of the sidewalk," Loki explained. "She had no parents and she was crying and well... I felt bad. I was curious, so I picked her up and she seemed to like it. Can we keep her? Please?"

"No, we can't. I'm not good with kids. And you would be a terrible adoptive father. You with a baby? She'd be dead within a week. Why do you even want to take care of her? So you can hurt her later?"

Loki's eyes narrowed at Tony's words. His expression darkened as he said, "You're not being very nice, Stark."

"You're never very nice. I'll ask you again. Why do you want to take care of her?"

"Because I know what it's like to be abandoned as an infant!" Loki snapped, breathing heavily when he finished his sentence. Despite how he raised his voice, the baby was still asleep in his arms. "Because maybe I don't want a baby to die because I didn't take her in when I had the chance. I don't always have an ulterior motive, you know. Sometimes I do things just for one reason, but I guess you can't understand that."

"I'm sorry. I just... didn't really expect something like this from you. You just don't seem like the father type to me."

"I have children," Loki hissed. "I have three children and I was a good father to them until they were taken away from me."

Tony didn't expect that answer from Loki. Though he had read about Loki's children in myths, he never thought Loki actually had children. It didn't fit in with the picture he had of Loki from when he first met him. He felt a little guilty for his assumptions, but he knew he wasn't good at apologies. Instead, he just said, "I'm sorry that they were taken away from you. Look, I'll have to think about this. Taking care of a baby is a huge responsibility, and it's a responsibility I'm not good at. We'll keep her here for today and I'll decide on it next morning. Do you want to go to the bookstore now?"

"Yes, but we can't leave her all by herself," Loki answered "And we have no one to watch her. Should we... take her with?"

"I guess we have to," Tony replied with a sigh. "We'll probably have people think we're a couple, but I guess that's better than being responsible for something bad happening to her while we're gone. Don't name her yet - I don't want you to get too attached before I decide what we're going to do."

Tony took Loki to the nearest Barnes and Noble's. He had left Loki to carrying the baby, not wanting to do it himself. He followed Loki around, smiling at how eager Loki was to read the summaries of the books that had eye-catching covers. He smelled the large books and ran his fingers over books with raised letters on their covers. Loki turned out to be a fan of the fantasy and science fiction genres, which he picked several books out of. He also picked out a couple classics, though he was very disappointed to see that there were no books on seidr. The pout he wore after discovering that made Tony laugh.

Tony didn't have any problem with the high total price all of Loki's books had racked up. Not only did he have much more than enough money, but he also enjoyed seeing Loki happy. He tried to tell himself it was because a happy Loki was better than an angry Loki, but he had realized that he had actually grown fond of Loki. The thought felt so odd to him, but he knew it was no use to try and make himself dislike Loki again.

Loki spent the rest of his day reading in bed while Tony worked in his lab. Tony was trying to make a device that could make his repulsor blasts different colors, with a switch to toggle through each of them. The feature he was working on developing was rather useless, but it looked cool, so he kept working at it.

In the morning, Tony found Loki asleep on the couch with the baby in his arms. The sight was so heartwarming that Tony realized he couldn't say no to the Asgardian. He nudged Loki awake and said quietly, "We'll keep her."

Loki grinned and tackle-hugged Tony, making the latter rather uncomfortable. Tony just nervously patted Loki's back and got out of the hug as quickly as possible.

"Her name's Selene," Loki said, still grinning. "Because she's beautiful like the moon."

Tony smiled and went to ordering baby clothes, baby food, formula, and a crib for Selene.


	7. Your Words All Over Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony confesses his feelings to Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains smut.

To Tony's surprise, Loki was actually rather good at parenting. He attended to Selene's needs diligently, replacing diapers the second she needed a new one and feeding her formula as soon as she gave her hungry cry. He played with her as often as he could and read a story to her each night before she went to sleep. Maybe his parenting skills were from having children before, Tony figured. Though Loki's children weren't exactly human, they were still kids and Loki seemed to love them and miss them dearly. He never dwelt on them, though, instead choosing to focus on Selene since the others weren't there with him.

Selene was a beautiful little girl in Tony's opinion, but she wasn't the only one living with him he found beautiful. Over a couple weeks, Loki started looking healthier by the day. He looked the same as he did in New York again, but maybe just a little gaunt in the face. He had a slim torso and lean, sinewy muscle. Whenever Loki wore a white T-shirt - which admittedly wasn't often - Tony could see a defined six-pack through it. The sight always made him flush and he hoped Loki wouldn't notice. He found himself looking at Loki more, letting his eyes follow sharp cheekbones, a graceful neck, and captivating eyes.

One day, Tony decided enough was enough and he should just tell Loki how he was feeling. While Selene was sleeping peacefully in her crib (custom-made by Tony), he approached Loki. The Asgardian was sitting on the couch watching a show about the universe - apparently he and Loki shared an interest in space. Tony sat down next to him and said, "I think you should know that you're a 10."

Loki gave a confused laugh. "What does that mean?"

"It means you're hot," Tony said. "Well, not literally hot. Your skin is actually really cold. Damn it, I'm making this awkward. I meant I find you attractive."

Tony had to hide his smirk at the uncharacteristic blush that rose on Loki's cheeks.

"I know you found my Jotun form beautiful, but I never thought you'd be attracted to my regular form," Loki finally said after a couple moments of silence. "I think you're fairly handsome. Handsome enough for me to do this."

Loki made the move he was fantasizing about making - he kissed Tony passionately, drawing the mechanic in closer and keeping a hand behind Tony's neck. Tony relaxed into the kiss, kissing Loki back. The chill of Loki's skin rose goosebumps on Tony's, but he didn't mind. He thought to himself that the cold actually felt good. Tony made the kiss a bit rougher by experimentally nipping at Loki's bottom lip. Loki let out a low moan, quiet but loud enough for Tony to hear. The sound made Tony's blood feel like it was going straight to his cock.

Tony stopped kissing Loki to see what the other would do. Loki pulled Tony back in possessively, kissing him harder and rougher with teasing bites at his lip. Tony wasn't a masochist - or at least he didn't think he was - but he enjoyed the mix of pleasure and just the right amount of pain. Loki got impatient and pulled Tony's shirt off, discarding it on the floor as if it was a rag. He curiously ran his fingers over the scarring where Tony's arc reactor used to be.

"What happened to that glowing thing in your chest?" Loki asked.

"It was protecting my heart from some shrapnel in my chest, but I finally got the shrapnel removed," Tony explained. "So it's gone because I no longer need it. I can still use my suits without it."

Loki nodded and gave Tony a seductive smile before saying, "Should we take this up to your bedroom?"

"Hell yes," Tony said, making Loki laugh. The two headed to Tony's bedroom, a large room with an incredibly plush four-poster bed.

Loki practically pushed Tony onto the bed and wrapped his arms around him. He was about to unbutton Tony's jeans but paused for a moment. "Do you want to have sex? I just need to make sure you actually want it before I start doing anything."

"Yes," Tony answered. "Thanks for being considerate."

Loki proceeded to unbutton and unzip Tony's jeans, pulling them off and tossing them on the floor. He pulled Tony's boxers down just enough to expose the hard, leaking cock inside them. He gave Tony another seductive smile before lowering his head in between the mechanic's legs. Tony had barely any time to process what was going to happen before Loki started sucking his cock.

Tony's breath hitched and he let out a groan. Loki seemed to be an expert at giving head, using his tongue in all the right places and all the right ways and sucking eagerly. He tangled his fingers in Loki's raven-black hair, gently pulling his head closer to the base of his cock. Loki sucked Tony off right until he was about to come and then suddenly stopped. Tony whined, his face and neck flushed.

"You're such a tease," Tony breathed, panting a little.

"Don't worry, I'll allow you to come," Loki promised. "Just not in that way."

Loki took Tony's boxers down all the way and got undressed himself. He searched through Tony's nightstand drawers until he found a bottle of lube next to some condoms. He took it out and lubed up his hands, gently putting his index finger in Tony. He worked his finger in and out, trying to get Tony looser. Tony moaned when Loki's fingertip brushed up against his prostate. Loki repeated the motion and then added another finger, scissoring his fingers in him.

"How are you so good at this?" Tony gasped.

"I had a long list of lovers going during my time in Asgard," Loki admitted with a laugh. "Both men and women, and some non-binary people. Asgardians say I have a silver tongue for two reasons, not just because I'm a skilled liar. Didn't I show you that?"

After working his fingers for a bit, Loki lubed himself up, rolled on a condom and positioned his sizable cock at Tony's entrance. "Ready?"

Tony nodded. Despite the preparation, Tony winced at the size of Loki's cock. Pleasure took over the pain as Loki started thrusting, though. Loki was moving at a teasingly slow pace, relishing in Tony's moans and curses. He started to move faster due to his own impatience, however.

"Say my name," Loki growled, his breath ragged and his voice rough from lust.

"Loki," Tony breathed.

"Louder," Loki said, making his thrusts faster and more powerful.

"Loki!" Tony cried out. His head was swimming from the pleasure and his breath was quickening.

Soon, Tony came with a cry of Loki's name. Loki's climax came soon afterward. When they had come down from their highs, they lay down on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Neither of them could think of what to say, but Loki eventually said, "Did you like that?"

"Yes," Tony replied, his breath still heavy. "Actually, I think that was the best sex I ever had."

"Oh, don't flatter me," Loki laughed. "I'm sure you've had better partners."

"Shut up, it was good," Tony said, laughing a little too.

Loki smiled but his smile fell when an odd feeling washed over him. When he realized just what he was feeling, he blanched. "Tony, something's not right. I can feel someone coming for me."

"Who?" Tony asked curiously. "Thanos, the Other, someone else?"

"The Other," Loki said, trembling. He quickly got dressed and left the room. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. If he comes here, he'll likely hurt you too."

Loki left and Tony stared up at the ceiling again, trying to quell the fear building up in his stomach. His breathing quickened and as he felt like he was going to faint, J.A.R.V.I.S. notified him that he was having an anxiety attack.


	8. Whatever You Do, Just Don't Touch Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is MIA and Tony doesn't know what to do to get him back. When he finally sees Loki again, he almost wishes he hadn't.

That night, Tony couldn't sleep. That wasn't an unusual thing for him as of late - nightmares of suffocating in space still kept his brain occupied at night. However, this nightmare was different in a way that Tony couldn't quite pin down.

Tony only needed to see a set of bloodied teeth to figure out that The Other was in his nightmare. The rest of the alien's appearance revealed itself when said alien stepped into a glowing blue light. It was about the same blue as his arc reactor was, but with more white to it. He realized that it was most like the bright, glowing blue of the Tesseract. He wished, not for the first time, that the cube had just stayed in the ocean.

"Why do you look so scared, little godling?" the Other jeered. "You knew what was coming to you. I warned you that he'd find you. And I warned you that it would be agonizing. Did you really expect anything else?"

The glowing blue light illuminated a body - Loki's body.

Tony wasn't sure if it was possible to actually vomit during a dream, but he nearly did when he saw what had happened to Loki. Bloodied thread held the Asgardian's lips sewn shut. Strange rope bound him to a large rock. It looked more like intestines than it did like rope and Tony shuddered when he realized that it might just be entrails. He wondered whose entrails held Loki to that boulder.

The Other stepped closer to Loki and the Asgardian flinched noticeably. He took Loki's chin in his six-fingered hand and said, "You're _pathetic._ You hold yourself so high but really, you're nothing. You're lucky Thanos found you - without him, a weakling like you would be dead. But when Thanos finds you this time, he will be the reason for your death."

The alien produced a blade and Tony woke up just as Loki was about to get stabbed with it. He was in a cold sweat, breathing heavily and shaking a little. He didn't know if the dream was just a nightmare or if he saw what was actually happening, but he knew he had to get up and do something about it either way. He went to the kitchen and brewed a pot of the strongest coffee he had. He gulped his entire mug down within the span of several seconds. It scalded his mouth and throat but he knew he needed energy if he was going to look for Loki.

Tony hadn't thought to implant a tracker under Loki's skin, but he wished he had done so the second he started housing him. Loki was unpredictable both in mood and behavior. Perhaps he disappeared as some sort of cruel prank or just lied about who he was seeing. Tony told himself all of this mostly to keep himself from losing it.

As soon as he got out of his car, Tony realized that Loki might not be on Earth. For all he knew, his dream could've been what was really happening and Loki was in space. He didn't want to even think about space - falling from it mentally scarred him and still kept him up at night. He tried thinking about other things, like Selene's happy babbling and Loki's smile. But the more he thought about Loki, the more anxious he became.

Tony decided to let himself relax for a bit. He drove back home and watched mindless TV, something that always seemed to calm him down. In the middle of a show, he got a call. It turned out to be from Steve Rogers. Tony turned the volume of the television down and said, "Hey, Cap. What's up?"

"I found Loki," Steve said, a bit breathlessly, as if he had just been running. "Well, Natasha found him but I was with her. It's not... it's not pretty, Tony."

"What do you mean it's not pretty?" Tony asked. "Did something bad happen?"

"Loki's badly hurt. He's bleeding and he's all bruised and... I don't know, it's really bad. And it's not the Other that got him. It's someone else."

"Someone else? Who? Thanos?"

"No, not even Thanos. I don't know his name but... he's messed up."

Tony tried to get his breathing under control. "Where are you? I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Manhattan. I don't know the exact address but we're in a high-end apartment building with lots of windows. You should be able to find the complex; it's got a big yellow sign in front of it."

As soon as he could, Tony got back into his car and drove through Manhattan. He eventually came across the building Steve was talking about. He practically bounded up the stairs and found the apartment by listening to Steve and Natasha's voices. He came inside - the door was unlocked - and nearly vomited at what he saw.

Loki's skin was paler than usual and caked with dried blood. There were gashes all over his torso and bruises all over his body. Blood was flowing from a huge gash in his stomach and Tony saw with horror that a chunk of flesh was missing from Loki's ribs. His ribcage was partially exposed due to that.

At that point, Tony threw up into the apartment hallway, though it was mostly bile. He turned back to face the room. "Sorry about that. Is he okay?"

"He's injured terribly and you ask if he's okay?" Steve said bitterly.

Loki raised his head when he heard the sound of Tony's voice. He got up but fell down before he could take even one step.

"Tony? Is it really you?" Loki said, breathing a sigh of relief.. "He told me you were dead..."

"Who told you?!" Tony demanded. "Who did this to you? I'll kill them!"

Steve put his hand on Tony's shoulder firmly. "Don't scare him. He said it was someone he used to live with."

Tony felt as if his blood was boiling. "Loki told me about someone like that. I swear I'll find that sick sonofabitch and blast him dead."

"Tony, he's already dead," Natasha said. "As he was escaping from the scene of his crime, he got hit by a car. He got hit hard and it crushed his skull. I saw him lying in the middle of the street in a pool of his own blood. He's dead. He can't hurt Loki anymore."

Hearing that didn't improve Tony's mood the slightest even though it should have. "Is Loki going to be okay?"

"I honestly don't know," Steve sighed. "He probably won't die, but he needs time to heal."

"He didn't hurt me in the way I told you," Loki said to Tony. "But I guess this isn't any better. I'm just glad that you're here. I didn't know what to do when he told me you were dead..."

"And I don't know what to do seeing you so hurt," Tony replied, suddenly aware of a heavy feeling in his throat like he was about to cry. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you and get you away from him. I'm sorry for everything."

"You don't need to be sorry," Loki assured him. "I love you no matter what."

Steve and Natasha fell silent - they weren't expecting a heartfelt answer from Loki. After a few moments, Steve laughed and said, "I should've known you two were a thing. You're like two peas in a pod."

Loki gave a tired smile and got up. As soon as he was standing, he fell back down again and winced at the pain. Tony picked him up and started to carry him while walking out of the apartment and down the stairs of the complex, Steve and Natasha behind him.

All of a sudden, Loki said quietly, "He's here."

"Who's here?" Natasha asked.

"You might want to look behind you."

There stood Thanos in full armor, grinning madly.


End file.
